Feeder



G. 5. SMITH Aug. so, 1938.-

[FEEDER Filed Sept. 1, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l Ill ll/l Ill/I 590C965 mjm% HIS ATTORNEYS G. 5. SMITH Aug. 30, 1938.

FEEDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 1, 1936 7 w 4 4 Z 8 6 0 z w w A .2 H 5 6 x iw W/l/A I ms ATTORNEYS I Patented Aug. 30, 1938 un rso stares. PATENT or ies George S. SmithiChicago, Ill. Application September 1 1936, Serial No. 98,968

1 Claim.

' My invention relates to typewriters, and has among its objects and advantages the provision of an improved magazine feeder for automatically delivering articles to be addressed one at a time into the typewriter.

An object of my invention is to provide a magazine feeder designed for automatically delivering cards, enveloms, and similar articles to a typewriter of conventional design and in which the feeder embodies a simple operating connec' tion with the typewriter.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of a typewriter showing my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the structure illustrated in Fig.' 1 taken from the position indicated by line 2--2 of Fig. 1; I

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 3--3 of Fig. 1; r

20, Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the magazine feeder taken from the position indicated by line d-t of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view along the line i5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view along. the line t-@ of Fig. 3;' we

Fig. 'I is a sectional view along the line 'i--i of F and r Fig. 8 is a perspective view'of the supporting 3G mechanism for the magazine feeder, illustrating the parts in separated relation.

In the embodiment selected to'illustrate my invention, I make use of a conventional typewriter ill including a frame 52 upon which the 5 platen it is rotatably mounted in the usual manner. Referring to Fig. 3, two guide rolls It and I8 and a curved spring member 20 are associated with the platen for holding the articles in 0peratlve relation with the platen as it is turned 40 for moving the articles into typing position on the platen. The typewriter also includes a conven- .tional plate 22 for guiding sheets and envelopes into throat 2% for delivery tothe' platen.

My invention comprises a feeder 26 in the naf ture of a magazine designed for ,supporting a plurality of cards'or envelopes 28 to be delivered to the platen forv addressing or typing purposes. Specifically, the magazine 28 comprises a rear Wall 30, a front wall 82, and end walls 34.

The wall 32 is arranged in angular relation with" in slightly angular relation with the reach 38' of the wall 30, I'extend the side walls 34, as 55 at 40, to provide a mounting for shafts% and 44 upon which I mount a plurality of spaced rubber rolls t6 and 38, respectively.

The rolls 46 rest on the platen it and support the load of the magazine. Rolls 66 are arranged in frictional relation with the rolls 8 to rotate 5 the latter when-the platen i4 is rotated.- The rolls 68 support the inner ends of the cards 28 to have frictional relation therewith for feeding the cards one at a time into the throat 2t asthe platen is turned.

Upon the inner face of each wall extension til I mount a bell crank St in which I journal one end of the shafts 42 and M for supporting purposes.

In Figs. 5 and l I indicate these shafts as having reduced extensions 52 which are rotatablylb mounted in openings 56 in the bell crank. Each bell crank is pivotally mounted on. a supporting screw 56. These screws have threaded relation with the bell cranks 50 only.- Each wall extension it includes a reenforcing plate 57 and a slot 58 20 for the reception of a screw 6t extending thereadjustable mounting of the shafts t2 and it, the

bell cranks 50 may be shifted to secure precise, adjustment of the rolls it with respect to. the

\ articles being fed.

In delivering thin'and easil'y flexible articles to the platen, the rolls it are positioned closer to the inner ends of the articles Ed'than when feeding stifi cards and less flexible articles. Since the rolls &6 carry the magazine 26 and its load,

' shifting the bell cranks 5t about their pivo ts does not impair'the tractive relation between the rolls it and the platen it. v

To thewall 36 I connect a bracket be which includes a. spring clip 58 which has pinching relation with the plate 22 for balancing the magazine 26, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The bracket comprises a reach 68 welded at it to one of the pressure elements 52 of the clip 66. The opposite end of the reach 68 is provided with a screw 16 passing through a slot 16 in a link it pivotally connected at at with a connecting element 60 V 82. The connecting element comprises a metallic strap having resilient properties bent backupo'n itself at 8 3 and shapedto be inserted in a loop 86 fixedly attached to the wall 30. ,In Fig. 8,

I illustrate the loop 86 as being provided with an oithe cards or envelopes 28 and the wall 30, I

opening 88 forthe reception'of a lug 9% carried by the element 82 to prevent accidental disconnection. The reach 92 of the element is bent out slightly at 96 to provide a grip facilitating connection and disconnection of the element.

The spring tension of the connecting element.

provides efiective retention for the element when placed within the loop 86.

The bracket 64 may be adjusted to support the.

magazine 26 in various angular positions with respect to the vertical in addition to embodying compensation for variations in structural parts 'rolls as support the inner ends of the cards 28,

passes upwardly on the other side of the platen,

it is brought into deflecting relation with a defiector I06 carried by the magazine 26. This deflector operates to hold the cards or envelopes in operating relation with the platen for typing purposes. g I

As one card or envelope is delivered to the throat 2d, the succeeding card or envelope is advan'ced as soon as the preceding card or envelope is moved out 'of frictional relation with the rolls 58. In this way, the cards or envelopes are delivered to the platen is in slight overlapping relation, as illustrated in Fig, 3. Counter rotation of the platen M will return the cards or envelopes to the magazine 26 without buckling of the articles.

Referring to Fig. 3, the bend ms in the wall at is positioned slightly above the lowermost card or envelope in the magazine. In this way, the wall area above the bend constitutes an abutment for the cards or envelopes, while the angular reach 38 constitutes an abutment of less abruptness, which oflers less resistance to the cards as they move into the throat 24. To insure proper abutting relation between the inner edges provide the magazine with two fingers 0 which are arranged to have slight pressure relation with the lowermost articles in' the magazine. These fingers engage the edges oi! the lowermost cards or envelopes and advance the articles in In Fig. 1, illustrate the fingers H0 as including slots 2 for the reception of screws Ill having threaded relation with the reach 32 or the front wall. Since the slotted areas of the fingers H0 are-arranged in parallel relation with the reach 32, the fingers ilil'may beadiusted for accommodating cards or envelopes oi diiferent sizes. I slot the reach 32 of the front wall at 8 and oflset the material adjacent the.

for grasping purposes. the reach 38 as being provided with a strip 2' slot inwardly, as indicated at H8. The oifsets .i it have supporting relation withthe cards or envelopes 28. The slot H8 providesan'opening facilitating placement of the articles in the magazine 2d.

I mount the deflector upon the arms l2 carried by the wall extensions 4. Each and of the deflector it is provided with a flange I22 pivotally connected with one end of its associated arm I by a. screw 82d. The deflector may be secured in ,various angular positions by adjustment about the axes of the screws I24. Each arm I20 is slotted at I26 to receive screws 28 having threaded relation with the wall extensions 7' ill. These arms may be adjusted toshift the deflector I 06 toward or away from the magazine 2t so as to secure an eflective holding action on the cards or envelopes while t'y ping thereon. Two straps i381 have their 'ends welded to the front wall of the magazine, which straps function as deflecting elements for the cards or: en-

velopes removed from the machine. These straps hold the cards or envelopes'in spaced relation with the magazine so that the articles are spaced In Fig. 3, I illustrate of rubber or fabric which provides a cushion for I the plate 23, thus preventing scratching of the plate.

My magazine feeder embodies a simple conzine together with the contents is employed for establishing a frictional drive for the feeder. This feature eliminates a special driving mechanlsm between the typewriter and the feeder, and the construction is such that proper tractlve re-. lation. is easily attained by merely supporting the feederon the platen. A large number of cards or envelopes may be placed in the feeder, after which the articles are delivered automatically to the typewriter as each article 'is typed and removed from the machine. v

While I have illustrated the shafts 62 and II as being provided with a plurality of friction rolls, each shaft could be provided with a single ,roll oi suflicient length. Because of the abutting relation between the inner edges of the cards or envelopes and the rear wall 30, the articles will be properly aligned when delivered to the platen M. The overlapping relation between the articles permits counter rotation of the platen ll without interference'from the articles being de- "livered thereto. My magazine will operate as an by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions or service:

. I claim;

A device for feeding cards, envelopes and the like to a typewriter having a rotatable platen mounted upon a platen carriage, comprising a connecting. vertical sidewalls, opposing plateii;

adjustably secured adjacent the lower end oi'ea'ch side wall, a pair of shafts extending between and Journaled in said plates, oppositely arranged,"

registering and engaging rollers mounted upon said respective shafts, the roller upon'one .01

said shatts being positioned below and extending within the line of said front wall and forming with said back wall a discharge opening from said hopper, theroller upon the other 01' said shafts being adapted to extend into contact and cooperation with the platen of a typewriter, whereby power and movement is transmittedthrough the contacting areas of each roller, and

the adjacency of the roller which enters the hopper to the back wail thereof may be adjusted, a foiioweradapted to cooperate with the contents of said hopper. and means for detachabiy secur- 5 ing said hopper tea platen carriage. 1

. GEORGE 8. SMITH. 

